Let's not add to the fragmentation. Let's use what we've got and who we've got and what we know and what we learn.
Michael Hogan
Executive Convenor, Queensland Kids Partnership
About This Episode
In this episode, Matt speaks with Michael Hogan, Executive Convenor of the Queensland Kids Partnership — an initiative hosted by ARACY that works to improve the wellbeing of Queensland's children and young people. Michael shares why the partnership deliberately set out not to add another organisation to a crowded ecosystem, choosing instead to convene, catalyse and connect the people and programs already doing the work. It's a wide-ranging conversation about systems change, place-based practice, the role of philanthropy, and the shift from competitive advantage to collaborative advantage.
Key Takeaways
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1
Don't add to the fragmentation
The partnership was deliberately designed not to create a new entity or service, but to use what's already there — drawing on ARACY's national networks rather than adding another organisation to a crowded ecosystem.
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2
Lead, facilitate, affiliate
Organised around six portfolios of work, the partnership thinks in terms of what it leads, what it facilitates, and what it affiliates to — recognising that everyone has a role to play, and that the role changes rather than disappears.
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3
Make the invisible work visible
Relationship and partnership work is often unseen and undervalued by funders. Tools like social network analysis help show networks doing the work — and make the case for investing in it.
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4
Follow the money
Fragmented, siloed funding drives much of the waste and complexity in the system. Shifting outcomes for kids means changing how investment, commissioning and contracting actually work.
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5
From competitive advantage to collaborative advantage
Most incentives reward competition — even duplication. Valuing collaboration and adopting a shared framework like ARACY's Nest lets partners speak the same language and contribute to a bigger whole.
Topics Covered
Resources Mentioned
- Queensland Kids Partnership — the ARACY-hosted initiative Michael convenes
- ARACY (Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth) — the national alliance that hosts the partnership
- The Nest Wellbeing Framework — ARACY's child and youth wellbeing outcomes framework, referenced throughout
- Country Collaborative — Social Network Analysis Toolkit — the SNA work FPC delivered with the partnership for country Queensland
- Thriving Places, Thriving Kids Network — the Queensland place network discussed in the episode
About Michael
Michael Hogan
Executive Convenor, Queensland Kids Partnership
Michael Hogan is the Executive Convenor of the Queensland Kids Partnership, an ARACY initiative bringing together philanthropy, government, community and research to improve the wellbeing of Queensland's children and young people. He has more than 35 years' experience in public-purpose work across the government and non-government sectors, including roles as Director-General of two Queensland departments and early work in public-interest advocacy. He is also an Adjunct Professor at QUT and a former Paul Ramsay Foundation Fellow.
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